


Hauntings and Horrors

by Spoiler1001



Series: Reaper chronicles [6]
Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X, Rockman Zero | Mega Man Zero
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Cyber elf, Death, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hatred, Loss, Minor Love Triangle, Possession, Reunion, Revenge, Violence, revival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-06-08 17:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6865696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spoiler1001/pseuds/Spoiler1001
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set two hundred years into the future of X Zero and Veronica, things have gone very badly and now old wounds will have to be opened to fix a mistake. A deadly mistake.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

After decades of war, there was peace. Peace, at the cost of a great friend. Peace that was too good to last, but it lasted over a hundred years. the surviving maverick hunters helped build a city. Some built the buildings, other protected the outskirts of the city. Once the city was built, the humans chose their leaders. The two never wanted to lead, so they had human council members to help them decide what to do to rule the city. People loved them. They loved the people.

However grief and dread filled the town.

"Ciel. We need to move faster! The guards are gaining on us." Veronica yelled. The two hundred years have not been kind to her. She looked twenty six, like she used to, but her eyes Betrayed her age. One was red, the other green. Steel tracks flowed down her face like tear tracks and her normally long white hair was chopped off and gray. Her outfit was a hoodie vest with a zipper in the front and black pants a combat boots. Her scythe was destroyed a long time ago, so she used a gun that fired pure energy. She wore a blue gem on a gold chain.

"I know, I know. We're almost there." Ciel yelled. Ciel was a young girl, with blonde hair. She was wearing a red jumpsuit, with black trim. She didn't have a weapon, but she was brilliant.

"'Almost' isn't now!" Veronica snapped. The two of them reached a door. It glowed blue and opened. "We're here." She said. A figure was hooked up to a charger, his eyes closed.

_Veronica and X were looking over the city. She was wearing a dress, it was gold. Her hair was long_

" _So this…is Peace…." She said almost bitterly. "The people elect us as their king and queen-"_

" _That's not what we're called." X said looking at her, wondering where she was going with this._

" _It might as well be." She snapped. "I can't stand sitting here, doing nothing while Axl-" She said, on the verge of tears._

" _Does what he was trained to do. What you trained him to do." He said, hugging her._

" _We keep losing more and more Hunters." She whispered into his chest. "I don't want to lose him too. Not after-"_

" _I know. I know." He whispered back. She pulled away._

" _you're too good to me, X." She smiled slightly. He chuckled softly._

" _We're a team. No matter what." He said and kissed her forehead._

"Zero. It's Zero." Ciel cheered. Veronica looked at the figure.

His hair fell to just below his knees. It was in a ponytail, and her wore red and black armor with white details. His eyes were closed and his body was limp.

"It's him. X and I had to rebuild him, but his AI was...twitchy...He needed a cool down period to recover. He looks different, but it's him."

"can you wake him up?" Ciel asked.

"Yes." Veronica said. "But he might not remember anything."

"Is that what you're rooting for?" Ciel asked, looking at Veronica.

"I've been asking myself the same question as of late." Veronica muttered, more to herself. "But he's our only chance to take down your little creation."

"You love to bring that up." Ciel snapped.

"It. burned. me." Veronica snapped back as she began to wake up Zero. "It's bad enough that I lost my partner and my son in the span of two months, but your little look-alike burned me."

Zero opened his eyes and blinked slowly. "B-Burned?"

"Nothing to concern yourself with." Veronica said smoothly. "How are you feeling, Zero?"

"I feel fine, but you said you were burned by somebody…?" Zero mumbled.

"doesn't matter. What does matter is that we need your help." Veronica said, helping Zero to his feet.

"You called me Zero. Is that my name? Why can't I remember anything." Zero mumbled.

"Just relax, sweetheart. Don't stress yourself. Can you walk?" Veronica asked, gently.

"Yes, but who's Zero?" He asked.

"You are." Ciel said. "We need your help."

_Veronica was led to a room where an injured Axl lay._

" _Axl! What happened?" She said, rushing over to him._

" _Maverick. It was a maverick, Mom. I know it looks bad, but we beat the maverick, and saved Neo Arcadia." Axl said, sparking and stuttering._

" _You don't deserve this. You're too young." Veronica said tears in her eyes._

" _Y-you should see the other guy…" Axl chuckled weakly._

" _I don't care about the other guy. You're hurt bad." Veronica whispered tearfully. X walked into the room._

" _You did good kid." X said softly._

" _I… know…" Axl smiled weakly. "I'm...getting...tired…"_

" _Then rest" Veronica mumbled. "We'll be right here."_

_Axl nodded and closed his eyes. Exhaling, Axl went limp. He was gone._

_Veronica fell to her knees with tears falling down her face. X went down with her holding her close. Tears were overflowing from his eyes as well. He closed his eyes and cried silently. Sobs shook Veronica's_

_Body. X wiped tears off her cheeks, the steel tracks not yet on her face._

" _it'll be ok." He whispered into her hair. "I don't know how, but it'll be ok."_

Veronica was leading Ciel and Zero to the HQ. They jumped over lots of terrain. Eventually they hit a dead end. A large mechanical weapon appeared. It grabbed Ciel and knocked Veronica back. Both of her eyes flashed green. Her steel tracks on her face turned to flesh again.

"Zero! Grab the saber! It's next to the mechaloid!" Veronica shouted, but there was something odd about her voice. It was layered, like two people were talking. One of the voices was male and familiar to Zero.

True to her/their word, a saber handle was shining next to the mechaloid. Zero grabbed it and sliced the mechaloid clear in half. Veronica smiled and her eyes went back to one green and the other red. She blinked and passed out, slumped against the wall. Zero looked at Ciel, who was walking towards the now unconscious Veronica.

"Does she do that often?" Zero asked softly.

"The voice thing? Yeah. She physically bonded with a cyber elf."

"A cyber elf….?" Zero responded carefully.

"Long story." Ciel said as she shook awake Veronica. Veronica stumbled to her feet and limped to the exit with Zero and Ciel on her tail.


	2. 2

The three of them made it to the base without further incident. It was tall. Very tall. Veronica escorted Ciel to the infirmary to see if any she sustained any injuries. Zero waited outside until they left.

"I know you must have some questions." Ciel said to Zero.

"What the hell kind of war did I wake up to?" Zero said, his voice having an edge to it.

"It's complicated. But since we have time, it started at the last big attack on the humans. The guards of the city were being killed brutally, it utterly destroying them, the couldn't even turn into a Cyber elf." Veronica whispered, her hand a fist over her heart as her voice cracked. "My adopted son was part of the guards."

"I'm sorry for your loss, but what's a Cyber elf?" Zero said, an need to comfort her washing over him, but he swallowed it down.

"It's a reploid's A.I.'s Ghost, in a way. But they tend to take over technology. My h- Cyber elf bonded the nanites in my body." Veronica said and adjusted her glove.

"So you're possessed?" Zero asked.

"Yes and no. I'm still in control, but if something were to happen to me, he could control my body to protect me. That being said, if anyone were to 'possess' me, there is no one I'd rather do it." Veronica said, her multicolored eyes shining brightly.

"Enough with that, we need to explain our enemy to him. Basically our reploid leader died and I had to build a replica to replace him because he was a selfless idiot." Ciel muttered. Veronica looked like she wanted to argue, but nodded in agreement.

"The replica went nuts, took over the government and assumed totalitarianistic control over everything." Veronica finished.

"And now you want to destroy the thing." Zero said, getting a grasp on the situation.

"Yes." Veronica said, her voice layered and her eyes bright green. Then she blinked her eyes were back. Zero blinked in surprise, but chose to ignore the outburst. "You're our last hope. Our last true hope." She finished, voice even. Zero looked at the two of them.

"Where shall we start?" Zero said.

"You should rest for right now. You woke up rather quickly." Ciel said.

"I'm fine." Zero stated in a monotone.

"And you've said that I'm the selfless idiot." The cyber elf in Veronica's Body chuckled.

"You are. Why don't you take Zero to his bunkers?" Ciel smirked. Veronica sighed and stood up. They went up an elevator into and stopped on the fourth floor.

"Veronica...Did we know each other before-?" Zero said as he walked into a room that Veronica pointed to him. She looked at him and blinked in surprise. She subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself.

"Yes. We knew each other before you went to sleep, but that was a long time ago. I've changed. Everything's changed." She smiled ruefully.

"...Thank you…" Zero nodded.

_Mavericks were making a mad rush for the capital building. It was everything that Veronica could do to not let them in the city. All the guards were destroyed. She was all that was left. X was getting people out of the city. She was wearing her battle suit, but had knives and guns all over her suit. Her hair was in a ponytail. The Mavericks noticed that and grabbed her hair. Veronica cut off her hair with one of her knives and stabbed the maverick in the head, killing him. The other mavericks attacked more viciously now that their comrade was dead._

" _Nice try Princess, Your kingdom is gonna come crashing down today." The maverick growled. He shot at her and managed to hit her arm, grazing it. She winced, but the nanites closed the wound quickly. The distraction opened her up to another attack sending her to her knees._

" _You failed. You and your boyfriend failed to end the maverick virus and now you'll join Zero and your precious son in hell." One of the Mavericks said. Veronica sneered at him and opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out, instead a pitiful whimper escaped her lips as a sword was driven through her._

Veronica was laying on her bed, sleeping, when a knock was heard on her door. She awoken with a jerk and her eyes blazed green as she looked around unfocused. One she realised there was no danger, she calmed down and her eyes returned to normal. Veronica realised that someone was at the door and moved easily to open it. It was Zero.

"I need to ask you something." He said, his blue eyes slightly wide and with his red helmet off, his blonde hair was loose and his bangs were visible.

"Oh? Come on in." Veronica said, opening the door for him. He looked around her bedroom it was tiny, compared to his room next door. Her cot was packed tightly against a corner of her bed. Her walls had little decoration, and her clothes were still in a duffle bag. He saw her gloves were on her desk, noticing this, he glanced at her hands, and saw that her middle finger on her left hand was steel, just like the tracks on her face.

"You said you had a question." Veronica said in a monotone voice. It was obvious that he woke her up, but it was too late to back out of the question.

"Why can't I remember anything?" Zero asked suddenly and sharply. Veronica widened her eyes in shock from his tone.

"you just woke after a long sleep. It's actually very common that you can't remember things. It'll come in time." Veronica said softly.

"You said you knew me before, can you tell me things about my life from before. Maybe that will help me remember." Zero said, like a small child.

"...I think that our lovely Cyber elf should answer that." Veronica smirked at an unknown joke.

"... if that's the case, I can come back later." Zero muttered.

"No you woke me up, and asked me." She sighed and closed her eyes. "You'll get your answers" A male voice answered and she opened her eyes. All steel on her skin was flesh. Her eyes were both green. What was jarring for Zero was how the body language was completely different, while Veronica was guarded and aggressive, the Cyber elf was vulnerable. And exposed.

"Zero. It's been a while." The Cyber elf smiled shyly.

"...I… still can't get used to that." Zero muttered.

The cyber elf chuckled. "This is still new to Veronica and I."

"And what shall I call you?" He said trying to make things easier for him to register.

"My friends used to call me X." The elf answered with a wistful smile.

"That name's familiar." Zero said, frowning for a small minute.

"We used to work together, all three- four of us, if that's any consolation." X said.

"Really? What happened to the other one, if I may ask." Zero asked, eyes trying to read the cyber elf.

"He died." X said simply.

"I'm sorry." Zero said.

"Don't be. It's better that he didn't see this anyway." X said, sighing. X closed his eyes and Veronica opened hers. Her eyes had gone back to the multi colored state and the steel had replaced the flesh one again.

"Did that answer any questions?" Veronica said and sat on her cot, exhausted for the energy of doing that.

"Yes. It did, but you look like you got hit by truck. You should go back to sleep." Zero said and walked towards the door.

"Yup. You need anything just knock." Veronica mumbled and fell back asleep.

_X had gotten the last civilian out of harm's way. He was running towards the mavericks. When he got there, he froze and he voice was caught in his throat._

_Veronica was laying in a pool of her own blood._

_While the mavericks were gloating, X numbly walked towards Veronica's body, but noticed a pulse emitting from her._

" _Told ya, blue, I can't die." Veronica smiled weakly. Her eyes turned neon green. Steel covered her entire body. X cradled her head and pulled her on his lap. Her head was under his chin. Angry tears fell down his face. Veronica placed her hand on his arm, which had turned into a cannon, aimed at the Mavericks that were leaving them and running to the city to destroy what was left of it. X wrapped his free hand around her waist. She placed her free hand over the one on her waist. Green circuits lit up on X, all over his armor. The charge on X cannon turned green as they took aim ar the receding figures of the Mavericks and they fired._


	3. 3

The next morning, Zero walked into a meeting room with Veronica and Ciel standing over a map.

"We should go for the Factory first. That will limit the number of soldiers we'll have to fight." Veronica said, emotionally exhausted.

"What about to the prisons? He's killing dozens of our own men." Ciel countered.

"Why don't we split it? You can destroy the prison, while I deal with the factory." Zero said, startling both of the girls in the process. Veronica huffed through her nose and gritted her teeth. Despite that, a smirk was building on her lips.

"I'm putting a bell on you." Ciel said. Veronica covered her mouth to soften her laughs.

"Alright, later." Zero smirked. "But consider my idea."

"I think It's good." She paused for a minute. "X wants to destroy the Copy, and thinks that taking the prison will help."

"That's good...I think. The prison is located in the air force base." Ciel said.

"The factory is in a desert." Veronica said.

"understood. Good luck." Zero replied back.

_The shot rang true and caused an explosion destroying the Mavericks where they stood. Veronica's skin turned back to flesh and she slumped against X._

" _It's over. The mavericks are destroyed. They are gone." She whispered. X nodded._

" _Yes. The war is over. But we lost." X said as he looked at the rubble. Veronica went limp and closed her eyes. He felt for her pulse that wasn't there. Her nanites failed her. "we've lost too much to win the war" He said as tears flowed off his face._

" _I wouldn't say that." A voice said. The two of them looked over at a figure coming towards them. X shielded Veronica's body with his own. He couldn't stop the new figure from looking at her._

" _Oh, she doesn't look very good." The figure said in mock sadness. The figure was male, obviously a reploid with the talons where his fingers should be. His eyes were blue. His hair was waist length and blond. He wore a black battle suit. He had a predatory smile on his face. "Let me help." He put a hand on X's shoulder and threw him twenty feet._

_X's arm formed a cannon and he fired. The man smirked and picked up Veronica. His eyes turned purple and and Veronica's eyes opened and her eyes were purple as well._

Zero was walking towards the factory. Wind was blowing sand in his face.

"I need a scarf or something. This damn sand is getting in my mouth." Zero muttered.

"How's it taste?" Ciel chirped from the communication link she established into his helmet.

"A tad on the dry side and salty." Zero said as he walked into the factory. He grew quiet as he looked at all the reploids/ no he realised they were just drones. He so no creation of AI or any other form of life, manufactured or organic. Dust covered everything and Zero blinked in surprise when he saw it.

"Zero, you there? You haven't said anything for the past couple minutes." Ciel asked concerned.

"I'm fine, but I'm going silent for the rest of this mission." Zero said and turned off his communication link, seeing the figure lurking behind him.

_Veronica was dropped on the ground like a bag of rocks hitting the ground with a sickening thunk. She was gasping in pain and tears flowed down her face. It looked like mercury, leaving a metal trail._

" _What did you do to her?" X roared, showing a rare display of anger._

" _I gave her life, at least the mother elf did." The male chuckled. "Isn't that what you wanted? Besides, the mother elf needs a host to survive."_

" _But it won't be her! What's the point of returning a person's life if it's not them?!" X said through his teeth._

_A deep laugh shook Veronica's body. A deep cockney accent boomed. "Are you volunteering?" Her voice said, but her eyes were terrified, and still deep, dark, purple._

_X had an idea and looked at Veronica, who was standing up."I actually am." This even threw the mother elf for a loop. She stayed quiet for a second and limped towards X._

" _Do you hear that, Elpizo? He's volunteering." The elf mother chuckled, referring to the male figure._

Veronica was hidden in the vent in the prison. When guards walked by, she slipped out of the vent and ran towards the cells. There were thousands of them all full of reploids.

"Oh god." Veronica muttered and X showed the same shock and horror.

"No, God has nothing to do with this. This is the land of the devil." A reploid said as he stepped behind her. "Madame Veronica, you are arrested for treason and conspiring to destroy the peace."


	4. 4

"Harpuia." Veronica said flatly.

Harpuia was a male reploid with green trim and blue eyes. His underarmor was white and his mouth was set in a grim line. His helmet was green as his suit, but all one could see was his eyes and his mouth. Everything else was covered.

"I guess you would know who I am, you are planning to overthrow the government, but why? You helped set it up." He place a blade at her throat. Veronica froze and sighed.

"I helped X make an utopia, but this isn't it. What it has become is a mockery of X's hard work. Look around. The wasn't a prison when X was in charge. It was a damn airport. And look in the cells! Would a true utopia have this many people behind bars for rebelling?!" Veronica said, her voice dangerously low.

"I-I…" Harpuia stuttered and lowered his sword.

"Thought so. Now I'm going to let those people out and you are going to stay right here. And-" Veronica said, but cut herself off when Harpuia grabbed her.

"You're on borrowed time. You won't live to see restoration of the Utopia that X, you came has worked so hard to make. Your Cyber elf won't support you for long." Harpuia said looking her over.

"I've been made aware. That's why I want to do it now." Veronica laughed bitterly.

"I have to stop you." Harpuia said stiffly.

"No. Your orders is to perpetuate peace through the survivors of the last great wars" Veronica said. She went to unlock the cells, by ripping the door off of them. This unsurprisingly startled a few people. "Now you can let these people out and help me assure true peace, or you stay out of the way."

"Yes Madame." Harpuia said like the soldier that he was.

_Veronica stood up to X, reading his expression. Her eyes were deep violet, signaling that she was under the control of a mysterious new entity called the mother elf. Veronica's body was bloody and she walked like a puppet on strings, showing that the cyber elf had no idea how to walk, and only could drag Veronica's limbs. It broke X's heart to bear witness to this but he had a plan to put a stop to it. He could only hope that Veronica could forgive him._

" _Not such a big b-" The mother elf crackled' but was cut off by a kiss, X was kissing her. It startled The mother elf enough for Veronica to take control. Steel coated her skin and purple flashed between them. The mother elf, now X's body, pushed away Veronica, now under the control of X, in disgust._

" _You son of a bitch! Do you know what I-" The mother elf roared enraged. X cut her off with a broken metal pipe through the chest._

" _Now you, Elpizo" X growled. His voice was his, but there was an edge, Veronica's voice. Elpizo flinched and backed away, terrified. X slipped off Veronica's left glove, showing off a metal finger. It was her middle finger. "She lost this finger in the last great war. It got shot off. Her nanites built her a new one, but it was a metal." He said in an apathetic tone of voice, completely opposite of the fury he displayed earlier. X grabbed Elpizo and punched him with the hand with the metal finger._

Zero turned around to look at the figure behind him.

"I don't think that it's wise to sneak up on me." Zero sneered.

"It doesn't matter what you say. You will not leave here." The reploid said. Zero scoffed at the reploid's arrogance.

"I don't see why I don't know the name of such a magnificently superior fighter." Zero said sarcastically.

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you." The reploid chuckled. "But if you must know, my name is phantom. I will be the last enemy you face!" With that, he charged.

Zero smirked and charged as well.

_X was utterly destroying Elpizo. Black oil was leaking out of his nose like blood. If his chest wasn't raising up and down, imitating breath, he would look dead. Not sleeping, dead. Eventually X stopped. Blinking Veronica was given control Again._

" _Oh X what will we do now?" She said, tears flowing down the metal tracks on her face as she looks at the destruction around her._

Veronica lead all of the prisoners to the Exit of the prison.

"Madame Veronica, may your passing be peaceful." Harpuia said to himself as he watched as the former leader lead the weak and dying to a safe place.

Veronica felt the dread of X flood her system. She had weeks left, months at most. They both knew it. X needs a new body and he needed it yesterday. Zero was at the base, a bit scratched up, but not in any considerable danger.

"You saved a lot of people today, both of you." Ciel said, smiling at them. Zero nodded curtly and Veronica had a tight smile.

"We need to move up the timetables." X said, taking control, just to warn them.

"Already? But I thought we had more time." Ciel said, snapping her head towards the cyber elf haunting Veronica.

"We don't and the Copy of me is getting me dangerous." X said sharply. "...Veronica and I cannot do any more missions."

"I can take care of the missions." Zero said. "You can lead me through here."

"Then it is decided." Ciel said. "Now be ready to help me catalogue the new people here."

_The rebuilding of the city was well underway. It has been weeks since the attack. The people have been asking about X but she had danced around the questions._

" _Hello everybody. I have returned." A reploid that looked like X greeted in the middle of town one day. He looked identical to X, but where X's eyes were a warm green that pulled people in, this reploids eyes were cold and emotionless, like dying grass in the snow._

Zero was pounding on the door to Veronica's room.

"Yes, Zero?" She said calmly even though she was awoken at two in the morning.

"I'm Remembering things. I remember what we were."

 


	5. Chapter 5

"What do you mean you remember everything?" Veronica blurted out.

"Not everything. Just me and you. And even that… doesn't make sense." Zero said as Veronica pulled him into her room.

"What do you remember?" Veronica asked.

"bits and pieces. I remember being in love with you, but I'm sorry. I don't remember everything." Zero said, looking away from her.

"That still fantastic news." Veronica said smiling.

"How? I find out I have a-A Girlfriend, and it turns out she dying!" Zero said in a rare display of grief.

"Zero… You can start again when this is over. You and X can go back to protecting peace." Veronica said smiling.

"Your Cyber elf? Don't you need him to live?" Zero asked.

"I'm dying either way. I'd rather not take him with me." Veronica said, glaring at her gloves on the other side of the room.

"then he needs a body. How-? Ciel." Zero muttered answering his own question.

"Yup." Veronica popped her P.

"Wait. I remember when you took me out of the lab, you said that the replica burned you. What happened." Zero looked, trying to read her.

_Veronica stared in horror as a replica of X walked up to her._

"Branded is more like it." Veronica smiled bitterly and pulled up her shirt, showing off a steel X but the skin around was red and swollen.

" _Miss me, dear." copy x smiled._

" _Ladies and gentlemen. I present our traitor!" He shouted._

"Why?" Zero placed a hand on the mark. She stiffened.

" _W-What?" Veronica asked shocked horrified. X, who was paying attention through Veronica, was angry._

" _Look at her! Not even defending herself." The copy shouted. "This is morals of a woman who let the mavericks right into our good city!"_

"He wanted to control everything. I was in the way." Veronica smiled proudly. "I still am."

Zero smiled at that.

" _Losing Axl was not enough for you? You had loose people that trusted you. You should go with the rest of the mavericks. Away from the rest of the rest of us." The copy sneered at her._

" _That's not true. I would never do that." Veronica yelled, tears flowing down her face._

"It was easy for him. Everybody trusts X." She smiled in bitterness.

_Veronica thrown into prison and was left to rot for weeks. Eventually guards went to check on her. She was dangerously thin. Her eyes were different. Instead of the forest green they used to be, one was a reddish-brown the other was a bright green. Her clothes were in tatters, but by some miracle or damnation she was still alive. When copy x check on her, he panicked._

"He tried to kill me subtlety. He locked me up and tried to starve me. X kept me alive." She smiled more genuinely.

" _How the hell are you alive?!" The copy yelled, slapping her._

" _That's my dirty little secret." Veronica smirked._

"He tried to outright have me executed, but guards helped me escape. I found Ciel as a teenager. She was trying to figure out how to shut him down." Veronica said.

Zero stayed quiet for a minute. "When did he- it was a target wasn't it?"

"Yup." Veronica muttered, realising how close she was to him.

"It's late you should get some sleep." Veronica whispered.

"I-I know, but I just don't want to be alone." Zero said as he placed his forehead in the crook of her neck.

She hugged him, and hummed in agreement. "You won't be soon enough."

"I know. X." Zero chuckled. The two of them slept on the cot in the comfort of familiarity.

The next morning Ciel was smiling as the two of them were grumbling about her being too damn cheery in the morning.

"The reploids are getting better. They'll be able to join the fight soon." Ciel said to Zero.

"Speaking of what's his next mission?" Veronica asked.

"The marine base." Ciel said.


	6. Chapter 6

The marine base was under water. Go figure. Zero walked around and saw that it was hauntingly empty. No sound, no people. Nothing. Zero walked along a pool that was dark blue to the point of black. The water from the outside was rushing around the outside, causing the place to feel claustrophobic.

"So you're the one that Phantom met yesterday. He never told me that you were cute." A female Reploid said sticking her head out of the pool.

Zero wasn't even fazed.

"I assume that you're the one who owns this base." Zero said, glaring at her.

"Yup! My name's Leviathan. I am the general of the Navy and one of our beloved hero's champion!" The female Reploid said, walking out of the pool. She had sea blue armor and matching eyes. She had a curvy figure, athletic and had the face of a beautiful young lady. The thing that Zero was off put by was her smile. It was like a predator stalking her prey. Those blue eyes were gleaming with dark amusement, like a cat with a mouse.

Zero smirked. He found it amusing that Leviathan thought that she was the one who was the most powerful one. She wasn't in a position to act like she was more than she was. Zero saw her as what she really was and that was an obstacle in his way.

"You are not very bright for someone who claims to run the navy." Zero said looking her over. Taking note of the large spear on her back, Zero drew his blade and charged.

_It was before the mavericks killed the royal guards. Before X lost control of his body and Veronica was placed on a death sentence. Infact, the Utopia the two of them had just been built, but tensions were rising. Anger was rising._

" _Axl, what can we do to calm them down?" X asked his guard. He had blue eyes and light red hair that spiked up. With an X-shaped facial scar, he looked battle hardened. It was hard to believe that he was just a kid compared to the rest of them._

" _They want proof that reploids and humans can live together in peace and unity." Axl replied._

" _And how do they want that?" Veronica said, her skin clear and her hair long. Her dark green eyes was reading Axl._

" _They… think that it would be proof enough if you two got married." Axl sighed._

" _What." Veronica muttered._

" _I know, Mom. It's a shock to me as well." Axl muttered._

" _But I-Zero.." Veronica muttered. Her metal finger tapped anxiously against a table, making a soft ping sound. Finally she sighed. "If I had to, to insure peace everlasting, I'll do it. X?"_

" _It's a bit extreme, but symbolic. I can see why they would want that." X muttered. "I'll agree to it."_

Back at the HQ Veronica and Ciel were standing on a reploid husk being built.

"How much longer until it's done?" Veronica asked.

"A few more hours." Ciel said quietly. A feeling of dread washed over her. This was her fault, all of it.

"We don't blame you Ciel. You did what was ordered of you and something unforeseeable happened." Veronica said. "I just wish that…"

"Things had been different then they are?" Ciel supplied. Veronica nodded. Tears flowed out of her green eye and she wiped it off.

"Keep working on it. We will have to do it tonight." Veronica said sternly.

"Yes Madame." Ciel nodded dutifully.

_The wedding was big, not with decoration, but with attendance and importance. Every human and reploid alive was in attendance. Axl walked Veronica down the asle and towards X. X and Axl were in tuxedos, but Veronica was the show stopper. Her hair was up and the dress she was in showed off her phoenix tattoo. Her dress was plain no special patterns lace. There wasn't even a viel. Her make up was minimal, using mascara and a light eyeshodow._

_X could now understand why Zero loved her so much. She was so beautiful, and her dress showed her muscles from a long war that she fought side by side with them. The ceremony was short and sweet. People were universally happy. Cheering was heard all day and tensions lowered._

Zero was walking away from a beaten Leviathan. She was breathing hard with a smile on her face. Zero himself had his helmet slightly askew and hair was a wreck. It was a fair battle on both sides. His eyes were angry and distant. Her spear was broken in two right next to her.

"I can see why Madame Veronica liked you so much." Leviathan crackled and limped back to the pool to report to the boss.

"Damn siren." Zero grumbled and began the long swim back to base.

Back at base, Zero noticed Veronica was talking with Ciel. Ciel had tears in her eyes, Veronica was trying to calm her down. He couldn't catch what they were saying, but he knew it couldn't be good. Zero pulled Veronica aside to talk with her.

"What are you two doing that is causing her to get that upset." Zero said, looking at Veronica, but he was also talking to X.

"It's nothing that we are doing. It circumstance." Veronica stated. Zero waited for her to continue. "We finished up the body for X, but he's keeping me alive. I know that I'm just on borrowed time even with him, but without him-"

"You'll die faster." Zero finished.

"We need X more than we need me." Veronica said, resigned to fate. Zero looked like he wanted to argue but a familiar feeling of knowing that he wouldn't win this argument settled into his stomach.

"When?" Zero said.

"We put X in the body tonight, after that, we don't know how long I have." Veronica whispered just loud enough for him to hear.

Zero's Eyes widened in shock. He then nodded and walked away stiffly.

"I'm fucked." Veronica whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

Later that night, Veronica stood over the replacement body of X. His hair was dark brown in a short hair cut. His face was the same as she remembered it. His armor was different, though. Instead of white and blue thick armor, the armor was thin and light blue and white with black undertones and gold lining. Ciel was nearby to help Incase anything went wrong. Zero was in the room, scowling at the entire situation.

"Everybody ready?" Veronica asked, her voice wavering. Both nodded, but they knew she wasn't talking to them. X sent her a wave of comforting emotions, signaling that he was as ready as he'll ever be.

Sighing, Veronica turned her skin to steel and placed a hand on the body's forehead. Her eyes flashed a warm green and she opened her mouth in a silent scream.

The body's eyes shot opened. They were the same warm green that Veronica's eyes turned when X was in control. He gasped as he became functional. Veronica backed away and stumbled. The steel on her body flaked off, exposing the skin underneath. Eventually, all the steel on her body left, was on her finger. Even the marks on her cheeks flaked off like snake skin. Her eyes returned to the forest green they were before everything happened. Ciel caught her before she fell. X stood up and looked around. He saw Zero, who looked at him with silent recognition.

"X. Welcome back." Veronica rasped dryly.

"Veronica, you should lay down." X said as he stood up.

"I'll take her." Zero said. X nodded and Ciel scanned X for any problems.

Zero and Veronica was walking towards her room. No, scratch that. Veronica was being carried very carefully by Zero.

"You seem to be taking this well." Veronica smiled weakly. Zero looked ahead blankly. "Zero. Promise me something." Veronica whispered. Zero looked down, his expression softening.

"What?" Zero said as he laid her on her bed.

"Don't hate X. Please." Veronica said as she pulled him close.

"No. Never." Zero promised. She smiled and closed her eyes to rest. Her breathing was even and steady. Zero looked at her sleep for a couple minutes and then stood up.

He ran into X as he walked back into the room where Ciel was.

"Hey Zero." X mumbled as Zero glared at him.

"I just have one question. Did you treat her well?" Zero said emotionlessly.

"Yes. I did." X said.

"Good." Zero nodded. "It would be nice to work with you again." He said and smiled.

_Zero had a bulky body still and his hair was in a ponytail. His sabre was big and Veronica still had her Scythe and the two of them were trapped in a corner._

" _Zero we might not make it." Veronica said, breathing hard. She had bruises on her face, but_ _Zero thought that she look as beautiful as ever._

" _Don't be so negative. Tell you what let's make a bet. An incentive to get out alive." Zero smirked._

" _Oh? Do tell." Veronica smiled despite herself and the situation._

" _We get out of this war alive, we get married." Zero got close to her and kissed her._

" _Deal." Veronica smiled and the two of them charged at the opponents._

Zero was sitting in a chair next to a sleeping Veronica. X was sleeping in what used to be Zero's room.

"Zero?" Veronica whispered. Zero's head snapped up.

"Yes?" He whispered back, trying to see if she was actually awake, or just talking when she was stuck in the limbo between awake and asleep.

"I really missed you." She looked up at him and smiled softly at him. He smiled back. "come lay with me." Veronica whispered in a small voice. Zero smiled softly and picked her up and slid under her, her head just below his chin. The two slept like that all night.

X woke them up. Needless to say, neither were happy.

Walking into the main area where Ciel was drinking coffee, Veronica smiled.

"Bit young to drink coffee aren't you?" Veronica smiled as she poured herself a cup. Her hands were steady and she looked healthy- for now.

"Feeling better?" Ciel beamed at her.

"Yeah. I do actually." Veronica smiled.

_Veronica and Zero stood over the carnage of the battle they just survived. Veronica was breathless, and her scythe was broken. Her clothes were ripped and Zero's armor was dented._

" _My scythe… Oh well, I'll just go back to guns." Veronica grumbled. Zero smiled wistfully at the discarded weapon._

" _We have had some memories fighting with that thing." Zero said._

" _I know it'll be sad to see it go." Veronica smiled back._

" _hey, guys!" A familiar voice echoed._

" _Is that Axl?" Zero asked, when the mentioned reploid ran up to them._

Zero and X were off on a mission to try to take down the copy of X. Veronica and Ciel were acting as mission control.

Suddenly alarms went off. Zero and X were shouting into their comms. Ciel screamed into the communication links that one one was there and the two reploids began the long run back at base.

Veronica was getting people out of the base to safety, but was pulled back by her arm.

"So you're the Madame? Ha. I've never seen anything so pathetic." A reploid with black armor, Phantom Veronica remembered, sneered as he threw her into a wall. He was physically more powerful than her. She knew that Phantom will kill her but was she wasn't prepared for was him stretching out her death.

He stabbed her in the leg to keep her from moving. Slinking away from her he closed off the hall that they were currently in. His mistake was that he turned his back on her. Veronica stabbed him in the back of the neck, that did absolute nothing. He smirked and pulled the knife and plunged it into her stomach facing up. The blade stabbed her lung and stomach.

"Shame. I wanted Zero to watch the life drain out of you." Phantom said at her. He didn't hear the growl from the other side of the blockade. Zero burst through the block and placed his blaster next to Phantom's head. He fired.

Phantoms head was completely destroyed and Veronica slid down the wall. Zero put away the blaster and kneeled next to Veronica.

"Zero." She coughed up blood.

"Shhh. Save your strength." Zero whispered. She lifted a hand to his cheek. Zero looked at her and took off his helmet, letting his hair fall all over the place.

"Zero, I L-Love You." She breathed out.

"I know. I love you too." He said and they kissed softly. She pulled away and sighed and closed her eyes. Zero picked her up and held her. He held her until he couldn't hear her heart beating anymore.


	8. Chapter 8

X was getting the rest of the refugees out of the base and found a enraged Ciel. She was screaming obscenities and was looking around at the damage. The physical damage was minute, but there was emotional damage. The safe haven that was so well hidden was compromised. They would have to move onto a new base.

X calmly walked Ciel out and the two of them looked out to see all of the Reploids that were in the building sitting outside.

Zero walk out carrying Veronica's body, a clarity in his eyes. Everyone looked at Zero and saw who was in his arms. Ciel fought back tears and X fell to his knees in shock. All of the Reploids that were wearing hats took them off and Zero glared at them.

"Put your hats back on! This is not a time for mourning. Ladies and gentlemen, she was one of the founders of this revolution. We will see to it that it will end. This woman has seen more horrors than any of us. She will not be at peace until the horrors stop. We will fight for her and all of the others that we have lost. We will mourn when peace is achieved!" Zero yelled. The crowd cheered and X stood up.

_Axl ran up to Veronica and Zero. His helmet was knocked off and his green eyes wide._

" _X needs our help!" He yelled. The three of them ran towards X and who he was fighting a large reploid without a face. Instead there was a black visor were his eyes should have been._

Veronica wasn't buried. Zero knew that someone would dig her up sooner than later, so he froze her cryogenically and hid her odd coffin in the lab where they found him only a couple days ago. The lab would have to be the new base. Weeks passed. Missions were completed. Zero and X were looking after each other.

X always knew where to find Zero. He was in the room where the coffin was. The room itself was small, but there was a pit in the center of it. The coffin was hanging from a chain over the pit. There was the a fence around the pit, stopping people from touching the coffin. There was a small window exposing her face. If one didn't know any better, they would have said that she was sleeping. Zero was sitting on the floor next to the door to the room.

"Zero, I know what you're going through." X said.

"I know, but that doesn't help me." Zero snapped.

"I can't tell you anything that will dull the pain, but know that she loved you more than anything." X said.

"those were her last words." Zero said tears building in his eyes.

"That's- I'm sorry Zero." X said. "I come with news. One of my replica's generals came to us in a surrender. He said his name is Harpuia."

"Why are you telling me?." Zero asked, angry and bitter.

"He wants to talk to you." X said.

_Veronica got knocked back and into a wall. A jagged piece of glass landing next to her head, nicking her cheek. She stood up and glared at her enemy, who was currently trying to rip Zero in half. Veronica ran up to them and propped herself between the two and pushed Zero and herself away from the enemy, leaving him open to attack from X and Axl. They blasted him and the enemy shattered. Zero and Veronica glared at the remains, but the glare softened when she looked at X and Axl._

Harpuia was chained to a pipe with nearly indestructible chains. These were mostly for show, as he swore he wasn't going to rat them out to the replica.

"I was expecting to see the Madame I have news for her." Harpuia said to Zero, not reacting to Zero's snarl.

"Veronica's dead. One of your men killed her." Zero snapped.

"No, not one of mine. I respected her, I wouldn't send a man to kill her. I am upset to hear about this." Harpuia said, monotone in his voice.

"Yeah you seem real torn up about it." X said, dryly behind Zero.

"I was not programmed to express emotions like you were, but I assure you I will grieve for her." Harpuia said stiffly. His helmet was removed from him, showing short jet back hair.

"What did you want to tell her?" Ciel asked glaring at him.

He jerked his head towards her and blinked.

"I wanted to tell her that she was right." He said in a rueful tone.

"What?" Zero said, shocked.

"She was right about out bastard leader. He is killing the people and it has to stop." Harpuia explained.

"aren't you supposed to be supportive of your leader?" X hissed out.

"I'm supposed to protect the people humans and reploids alike." Harpuia corrected.

"And you're doing a great job! Only five million reploids died." X sarcastically snapped.

"I realize that. Madame Veronica convinced me to believe in her. Before she died, she talked me into believing what she did was right. I came here to swear my loyalty and assist her cause." Harpuia said, voice cracking, maybe from emotion, maybe from internal damage that would have to be dealt with. Zero glared at Harpuia and picked him up by his neck, snapping the chain.

"I don't care about you. I never will, but know this: you've brought Veronica into this. If you betray us, I will destroy you." Zero growled.

"I understand." Harpuia said, unflinchingly.

Zero threw him onto the ground and walked away.

_It was just after Phantom killed Veronica. After he gave the speech that inspired the survivors. After the group left to full survey the damage, Zero stood alone, gritting his teeth in heartbreak. He closed his eyes letting the tears flow. His body shook with sobs as he cradled Veronica's body towards his chest. Eventually Zero let loose an animalistic cry, something akin to a wolf's howl. It caused birds to fly away in shock. He loved her, really loved her, and now she's gone. He looked at her face and he could see her age in the subtle little details. Not her face, her face looked ageless, but he could see the little scars on her face, how her roots were no longer reddish brown, but as white as the rest of her hair. Zero eventually calmed down and placed a kiss on her forehead. A final goodbye. X walked over to Zero and took her out of his arms._

" _I'll make preparations." X whispered to Zero, who nodded numbly._

Harpuia looked at the tomb that Madame Veronica rested. She had an expression of acceptance, like she lived like she wanted, and died the same way. Even when the two of them were on opposite sides, the first and only time they came to blows, she fought him, not that cyber elf that she held within her. He had to remind himself that the cyber elf was the original X, and that the commander that he reported to was the copy. It is a strange idea to get used to, but he would eventually.

Zero and X were in the engineering room, forging a weapon for both Zero and X, because X only had his buster, and no matter how powerful it was, and it was powerful: more powerful than the last one, he needed more than that. His buster was a long range hand cannon, literally, he needed something for close range. Zero just wanted a stick that he could rip apart the copy with. He didn't care if it was sharp. It just had to work.

After a few hours of waiting the weapon builders gave them each weapon. X got a handle with a switch, when he hit it, a staff grew from both ends. It was a dark blue, darker than his armor, but had a fair blue glow around it. Ciel pulled out a metal bar to test his skills on it and when he swung, the steel bar crumbled. They gave Zero something different. They handed him a familiar handle. It was Veronica's back from the second war. Zero found an engraving on it. In cursive 'Reaper' was spelled out.

"We fixed it." Ciel explained.

"Thank you." Zero said. Zero placed his thumb on the button and pressed down. Two beams emitted from the handle. On one side, the beam ended after a meter. The other beam had a curve coming from the top of it. The entire thing glowed white. He hit the button again and the entire thing retracted.

"I'm ready to destroy that damn replica." Zero said, smirking darkly.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Zero grabbed Harpuia on the way out of the base.

"Where are we going?" Harpuia asked a bit jarred from being yanked.

"We're going to destroy the pirate copy of me. You are getting us inside." X growled. Zero continued to drag Harpuia along.

The replica's base was in between two mountains. It was cold, but the base wasn't high enough for it to be snow, so it was raining ice water and hail. There was a huge statue of the replica standing at the entrance. It had a psychotic smirk on it as an invisible wind blue a bronze cape back. Zero stared and scoffed and made a mental note to destroy it on the way out. X stared at it for a second and gritted his teeth.

"Zero, what are you going to do?" X asked quietly when they entered the base. It was quiet and big with only a throne in the center. The replica was sleeping in it. He looked at peace, not like the monster he was. Not the monster that destroyed countless lives, not the monster that ordered the assassination of Veronica. That particular crime was unforgivable. Zero no longer cared about anyone else after she died. Zero wanted to crush the life out of them, make him feel the pain that Veronica felt. That son of a bitch will suffer, and X and Harpuia will not stop him.

"I'm going to make him suffer." Zero growled and rushed at the sleeping bastard. He grabbed his weapon and hit his switched his weapon on, unleashing Veronica's scythe. He yelled and sliced at the copy with it, but he was gone.

_Long before the second war, Veronica was practicing with her scythe. It was obviously the same on that Zero will use, but instead of the white glow, hers was green. Years of using it gave her a distinctive style and grace with it. It seem like it was a natural part of her. Her long hair flowed behind her. Zero watched her move silently and saw a primal instinct in the way she moved. She never thought about her next strike, she just made it. Zero himself was in his old body, but without his armor. His under armor is dark with red trimming. He and X were taking a break from training, so they could recharge, leaving the arena all for Veronica. She was allowed to finally let loose and was, in a way, putting on a show for X and Zero. Eventually, before she tired herself out she went to sit down with the reploids._

" _enjoying yourself, Zero?" Veronica smirked flirtatiously, raising an eyebrow._

_Zero chuckled and returned the smirk. "Not as much as you were." He said goodnaturedly._

" _Get a room you two." X said, stopping the two from making out, because while he was happy that they were in a stable relationship, he didn't need to see the make out right in front of him, again. The two laughed but didn't kiss or anything that would imply that they knew each other biblically._

The replica suddenly stood behind X and Harpuia.

"So you're the original X." The copy said, sneering and getting uncomfortably close to X. Harpuia swung at him with his sword, nicking the replica's cheek causing a black fluid to leak out.

"You treacherous abomination!" The replica hissed and threw Harpuia into a wall, making him black out for a few seconds. X pulled out a staff and swung it at the replica, knocking off his helmet, showing a dark red hair, like dying leaves in the fall. The replicas lcy green eyes darkened. He prepared himself to launch himself at X, but Zero grabbed his ankle and smashed him into the floor, where he proceeded to punch the damn knock off in the face. Repeatedly. X was too busy trying to get Harpuia back on his feet and functional. Eventually Harpuia was able to move without assistance. By then, The copy had more gashes on his face and had the black fluid oozing out of his mouth. He was choking on it, but Zero wasn't satisfied.

"I sent Phantom after you." The copy laughed in between hits, his smile had a uncanny edge to it. "You were the target. And you're little bitch of a girlfriend took the bullet for you."

Zero responded by throwing the copy through his throne. His body rolled numbly around the floor. Zero had damaged his circuits. He could not move his body, but he would see and process everything. And what he could see was Zero slumping towards him activating the scythe.

_Zero was learning how to control the scythe. Veronica was teaching him. Usually he was a fast learner when it came to weapons, but he was distracted when it came to Veronica. She has taught X how to use her scythe, he learned very quickly, show off. Zero, on the other hand, refused to learn even simple techniques. It wasn't that he didn't know how to use it, he did, he just enjoyed being with her on a one on one level. So he was territorial, but she wasn't his. She didn't belong to him, he didn't belong to her. They were equals, partners. That didn't stop her from whispering promises into his ear that made him show off that he did indeed know how to use that scythe._

Zero knew that this wouldn't undo any of the damage that the copy had done. He knew that Veronica would still be dead. He knew all of that, but cutting off the cheap knock off's head, that was very satisfying to do that. Destroying the body was X's job. Zero walked outside and methodically carved pieces out of it with the dull end of the scythe.

X stalked towards the copy. The bottom of the staff dragged a path behind him. The copy could only silently scream as he saw X swing the staff and things went black as the copy's head was destroyed.

"This isn't the end of it. Leviathan and one more Reploid will try to take over his reign" Harpuia said as the two of them walked out of the base, to see the defacement of the statue. Zero absolutely destroyed it.

_Zero was face to face win Veronica's coffin for the first time. Anger and grief flowed through him._

" _in the years before I met you, I had no reason to fight besides the rush of fighting itself. I've lost a reason. I lost who I am. You gave me myself again. I was fighting for a peace that I could spend with you." Zero said, gritting his teeth together. "lot of good that did us." Zero laughed bitterly. "I guess I still have a reason to live. I will avenge you. I will fight for you." Zero said, acting like he was a knight for her._


	10. 10

_ Veronica ducked under a tree with Zero and X at her heels. Her battle suit was ripped and torn, her skin was a metallic silver and she was just down to her guns. _

 

_ “any ideas how we get out of this in one piece?” She asked her close friends. Both of them shook their head. “Axl?” She asked into her radio.  _

 

_ A barrage the of bullets rained down and the enemies that were shooting at them fell dead. A sigh of relief escaped from the trio.  _

 

_ “Thank you, Axl.” Veronica smiled. Axl jumped down from his spot ahead of them. He smiled and the sound of guns going off rang out.  _

 

Zero ran his thumb over the engraving on his scythe. Veronica’s codename shone brightly back at him. X walked next to him and Zero's eyes snapped up. 

 

“We found Leviathan. She's destroying ruins near bodies of water.” X told him and the two of them met Harpuia near the boat. 

 

“We must hurry.” Harpuia said stiffly. “She may get bored of ruins and go after people” 

 

Zero and X nodded. After a boat ride in deafening silence Leviathan found them. A huge wave of water slammed into the boat, capsizing it, Ciel yelled over the comms link, asking if they were alright. X had to answer for both Harpuia and Zero, as Zero had a mouth full a seawater every time he tried to open his mouth to answer and Harpuia was swimming them to sure as was their plan for when Leviathan was attacking. It was heavy rain when they got to where she was. No, not heavy rain, it was a monsoon. Zero’s hair stuck to his body and rain water flowed down his face. Harpuia and X weren't in much better condition. 

 

Leviathan on the other hand, was loving the rain. She laughed and cackled as she destroyed old buildings and monuments. Her blue eyes bright with crazed excitement. Her weapon was some kind of trident that shot out lighting. Zero briefly thought of Veronica and how she would have snarkily asked if Leviathan could sing too. He smirked at the thought. 

 

“Zero. I know that smirk. That's the I just-thought-of-something-funny smirk. Care to share with the rest of us?” X asked, an eyebrow raised. 

 

“Veronica would have accused Leviathan of ripping off the little mermaid.” Zero said in a deadpan tone of voice. X laughed at that and Ciel laughed over the comms link. Harpuia just looked at him blankly. “It's from before your time.” Zero said a small smile on his face. 

 

_ Veronica was hit in the hand by a bullet, that much Zero could tell. She was pale and obviously in a lot of pain, and was cradling her injured hand. Zero attacked the people who were ambushing them. In the corner of his eye, Zero could see Veronica’s skin turn metal and he smirked.  _

 

_ She grabbed her guns and shot at them hitting every target true, but her shots alone were not sufficient enough. X and Axl were providing cover. Zero sliced through them easily. The carnage after the battle was devastating.  Zero looked over at Veronica who looked at her hand with wide eyes and pale skin. _

 

Leviathan sneered at the three of them when she caught sight of them.

 

“Traitor!” She screamed at Harpuia. “You helped Zero kill our beloved leader.” 

 

“Your beloved leader.” Harpuia said. He drew his sword. “He was nothing to me.” 

 

“And you are nothing to me, brother.” She growled. Leviathan lunged at Harpuia. He dodged easily. What he didn't dodge was her trident.  It didn't do any major damage, but it did graze him causing electricity to spark everywhere. Harpuia gritted his teeth in pain, but didn't vocalize any discomfort. Zero readied his scythe and held it in a manner that the blade was next to the ground, it's curve pointing forward. The blunt end extended past his head. He had the metal handle go across his back. He had one hand gripping it the other one out for balance. 

 

“It’s over for you, water which.” He growled, his canine teeth looking sharper than they should be. His eyes were cold and detached. 

 

“Really? Is that all you can come up with? Water Witch?” Leviathan laughed. It sounded too much like Veronicas laugh. 

 

“I would say worse, but X is standing right here and he’s too innocent to hear such nasty words.” Zero smirked at X’s pointed glare. Zero’s smirked morphed into a dark echo of  what it was a second ago, a mirth gone from his body. He tensed up and waited for Leviathan to lunge, and she did.

 

“I think that you are so much better off without her, dear.” Leviathan smirked. He head butted her. Red oil leaked out of her nose. 

 

“Actually I lost all fucks for you and while I spared you before, it was because I had a reason to care about people. I don't have that anymore.” He laughed bitterly. 

 

“I-Is that supposed to frighten me?” She asked, trying to sound tough, but her voice cracked. 

 

“no. But it did.” Zero smirked. 

 

_ Zero took Veronica’s hand he saw that one of her fingers was metal. He blanched, but stayed calm. Axl looked like he wanted to vomit.  _

 

_ “I'm ok, I think.” She whispered. “But we need to go before more come here.”  _

 

_ The four of them ran back to their base for the night. It was a hut, but it was well hidden, so it did its job. Axl fell asleep as soon as he could, but this left X, Zero, and Veronica awake.  _

 

_ “You have a metal finger now.”  X said, ever so helpful.  _

 

_ “Yeah. It'll take some getting used to, but yeah.” Veronica smiled. _

  
Zero stalked towards Leviathan, who backed away in terror. His smile was demonic, and his scythe was pointed. The point was directed at her throat. He swung it. It carved out her eye. Red oil squinted out of her eye socket. It was going to be a long night for her.


	11. 11

Leviathan was thrown back from the force of Zero’s attack. She was leaking oil and her eye was swollen shut. She looked at Harpuia for help. Harpuia sighed and placed a hand on Zero’s shoulder and Zero stopped, remembering himself. 

 

_ Zero felt Reaper, no Veronica now, sleeping on his chest. Her breathing was even and her hair covered her face and some of him. He was quiet in thought. The war was wearing down on all of them and they all wished to that it was over. Be careful what you wish for. _

 

Zero back away from Leviathan. He really didn't want to, but he did. Leviathan saw her chance and swiped at Zero’s and Harpuia ’s feet, knocking their heads on the hard ground. X, having kept a distance, shot her square in the stomach. The shot knocked her back and she limped away. Harpuia stood up, but Zero didn't. His eyes were closed and he was limp. X panicked, not willing to lose another ally. 

 

“He’s breathing. He's alive.” Harpuia said, trying to calm him down. “He just needs to wake up on his own. 

 

Zero was lost in a dream. He felt light, almost weightless. He was floating on water, he opened his eyes. 

 

“ _ Zero, can you hear me?” _ A feminine voice floated over to him. He looked up and saw clean reddish brown hair. He blinked and the image cleared and he looked into brown, almost red eyes. 

 

“Veronica…” He mumbled. She moved hair out of his face. He saw that she wasn't focused on any one thing on him, just him. She was wearing a white dress. It was plain and she was beautiful in it. She looked like an angel. Her freckles stood against her tanned skin. Her face was the only thing that was standing out of the image. Her features were beautiful, but she didn't look happy. Nor did she look at him. It was a little off.

 

“Veronica… Can you see?” Zero asked touching her cheek. His hand phased through her and she smiled sadly. 

 

_ “I can see through you, through your eyes, but not on my own. I'm nothing but a computer program now. No, not a computer program, a Cyber elf.” _ Veronica whispered. 

 

Zero was going to answer, but something was pulling him back, he let out a scream. Veronica sat down, closing her eyes, but opened her eyes, looking at him, now one eye blue, one eye brown-red. 

 

Zero’s eyes snapped open, his eyes reflecting Veronica's. X was thrown back from the shock of seeing the eyes not completely blue like he was use to. 

 

X helped Zero to his feet. He looked around and felt a tear coming out of his now red eye. 

 

“Veronica’s a Cyber elf.” He said quietly. He fell to his knees and repeated that phrase over and over again, gripping his head. X grabbed Zero’s chin, forcing him to look at X. 

 

“Zero, calm down. You'll be fine, both of you.” X sighed. 

 

“...She’s alive…” Zero finally mumbled. 

 

“Yeah…” X said. Harpuia smiled a little bit. 

 

_ Veronica and Zero were looking at a seven foot tall robot with violet long hair and the face of a Knight's helmet.  _

 

_ “I am your ending. I am the Omega!” The Robot screamed in bloodthirsty jubilation. The robot slashed at Veronica and Zero. Zero took the shot for both of them, causing a deep gash on his side. He collapsed to the ground, Coughing up oil.  _

 

_ “Zero!” Veronica screamed. She turned her skin to metal and curled around him. The figure walked towards them. _

 

Zero awoke from the bed he was sleeping on. He still felt the cool metal on his skin from the nightmare. No, not nightmare, memory. That was how he lost his body and caused him to need a new one. 

 

“X...did you share dreams when you were a Cyber elf?” Zero asked the next morning. X looked at Zero and shook his head.

 

“She put up mental walls and wouldn't let me see her dreams.” X smiled sadly and wistfully. 

 

“There's no mental wall now.” Zero mumbled, sensing her embarrassment. 

 

“I figured.” X laughed. Zero smiled and sighed through his nose. 

 

Harpuia was still sleeping. His helmet was off and his hair fell into his face. Ciel saw this and smiled. Maybe they will give him a cot. He's earned it. Harpuia woke up to the sound of computers. He groggily stood up and sat in a chair, realising that he slept on the floor. Ciel was standing at the computer, focusing on what was on screen. It was a map of the area that they all lived in. The area that X and Madame Veronica ruled. Pulses ran over the map signaling that the area was being scanned. 

 

Ciel flinched when the signal picked up something. 

 

“What is it?” Harpuia asked, suddenly standing next to her. 

 

“A demon.” Ciel said, her voice cracking. 

 

_ The figure stood in front of them. Reaper grabbed her guns and shot at it, to no avail. The mechanical giant stepped closer to her .  _

 

_ “Aren't you adorable? You might’ve had a chance if you still had your scythe.” The giant sneered and pulled a sword out of nowhere. It was long and jagged and curled with long slicked gracefully diverging spines flowing away from the main curl. It flashed an angry, bright red. Faster than even the most quick minded reploid, he sliced  his sword upwards, causing Veronica to fly backwards, landing unceremoniously with a sickening thunk on hard rock a few feet away, blood pooling around her. Zero tried to run to her, but he was pinned by a foot to his neck.  _

 

_ “So you're Wiley’s great creation, the one Who’s supposed to help X bring peace?” The mad bot bellowed like a drunkard. Zero let out a spew of vulgar insults.  _

 

_ The bot pressed down harder, but then stopped.  _

  
_ “You are built wonderfully. You have unbelievable power, but your heart stops you from truly living freely. I could help you with that.” The bigger bot joyfully announced and Zero’s eyes flashed purple and he began thrashing in panic.  _


	12. Chapter 12

_ Zero stopped moving at all and the giant grabbed his head in pain. The giant shook his head, trying to clear it. Zero grinned evilly, and smugly pushed him off.  _

 

_ “This is amazing!” The bot now inhabiting Zero’s body shouted suddenly.  _

 

_ “What the hell did you do?!” The giant with Zero now inhabiting it screamed. The imposter just laughed and slashed at Veronica. She cried out softly, still weak from the first blow.  _

 

_ Zero as the giant checked the imposter that overtook his body and sent him flying. The copy smirked and backed away. Zero lunged down to pick her up, cradling her protectively.  _

 

Zero’s eyes snapped open, letting out a gasp in surprise. A moment passed and Zero felt the warmth and familiarity of Veronica hugging him from behind. Zero placed a hand over where an arm should be, but he only felt cold, empty air. He sighed, closing his eyes, his situation fully settling in again. Then bitter irony set in. He said that he would marry her when the war was over. That would be re-

 

A loud bang disrupted his thoughts. Knocking. Someone was knocking on his door. He blinked, surprised, and coming back to reality. His now multi-colored eyes scanning everything. 

 

“Zero, it's X.” The voice from the other side called back. “We need your help.” 

 

Zero sighed and stood up, getting closer to the door. He hesitated in opening the door for X, not quite smiling, but not an unfriendly expression. 

 

“What's wrong?” Zero asked ready for another mission.

 

“You mean besides everything? An old friend of ours is back.” X grimaced. His canine teeth looking almost animalistic in the dim light. 

 

X led Zero to the mission room. Zero looked around and sat in a chair. Zero looked on at Ciel who was speaking but Zero was only hearing half of what was said.  He however did listen up when a familiar name showed up. 

 

“ _ So that's what he's being called now _ ” Veronica mused with a bitter smirk, when she heard the name of the old enemy. Zero quirked an eyebrow as well. 

 

“Where is he?” Zero asked a little eager for payback. 

 

“A sports arena. He’s waiting for you.” Harpuia said. “won't let any others near him.” 

 

“ _ let's give him what he wants.”  _ Veronica growled in the back of Zero’s mind. Zero flinched at her anger and tried to push it back. An apologetic rush washed over Zero. 

 

“We’ll- I’ll go.” Zero said with a tone that said that the conversation was over.

 

_ Zero looked over Veronica's body. Her wound was already closing. Zero let out a sigh of Relief And hope. Zero fell to his knees and visibly trembled. He held on to her like she was the last lifeboat on a sinking ship. She was breathing shallowly, but she had breath.  _

 

_ Zero let out a small whimpering sob and went to kiss her forehead, but he had no mouth to do it with. The situation finally set in. He wasn't himself. Terror set in at the thought of what that beast would do now that he had the most physically strong reploid in existence. In, his panic, he didn't notice that his life supporting functions were failing until he felt the ground rush up to meet him. Veronica’s green eyes looked up at him in concern, and he realised that she was going to save him one last time. He felt something click apart and the world went black.  _

 

_ Veronica held the precious computer chips in her hand, this was her partner, her friend, her lover. In those five chips was an entire lifetime. She gently held them and limped away, seeing seeing a blue dot in the distance, but feeling strong arms catch her. She looked up to see dull green eyes. She held up her hand and uttered two words.  _

 

_ “Help Zero.” She whispered and blacked out. _

 

Zero walked into an arena and blanched at the smell. It smelled like death and rust. Tears built up in Zero’s red eye as he looked around at the mangled corpses around him. Zero blinked it away and braved forward. Every step was lighter and faster until her was running into battle. 

 

Then he stopped in his tracks. 

 

In front of him-them stood someone familiar, yet so alien. What used to be bright red was now a dull rustic brown. The bright yellow blond hair was dirty and damp with dark red blood. The smile was feral. Zero’s eyes widened and Veronica flooded his system with a calm resignation of what was going to happen. The eyes that were once blue were evil red. 

 

“I heard the name you go by now. Bit on the nose, don't you think?” Zero asked, his voice neutral. 

 

The other smirked. “I told you that I was the Omega. Now that is only what I answer to.” The reploid now called Omega bellowed. He walked over, stumbling over himself like a drunk. Zero was staring the dead bodies between them. Veronica urged him to grab his scythe and swing, but the shock was too strong, electricity buzzed around Zero and he gritted his teeth in pain. The hit wasn't even visible to him, but it hurt. The second hit hurt worse. The third hit forced him on his ass. Memories flooded their mind as Omega taunted them. 

 

_ Axl dying on a bed. _

 

“Guess the resistance needs a new hero.” 

 

_ Veronica dying in his arms as she slipped her consciousness into him, turning herself into a Cyber elf.  _

 

“all this build up, and you went down without a fight.” 

 

_ Veronica staring Zero down when he first woke up the first time, two hundred years ago. And the betrayal of her first partner.  _

 

“Guess this is the end.” a foot clamped down on Zero’s chest. Zero’s eyes snapped open, they were bright green and had a current running through them almost. He grabbed Omega’s foot and jerked it to the side, causing him to howl in pain. 

  
“ _ Guess this is the end _ .” Zero growled and activated the scythe. Finally he lunged at Omega, screaming.


	13. Chapter 13

_ X stood over the new body of his best friend. The golden hair of his is now exceptionally shorter and his eyes were a dark blue. The body needed time to assimilate with the chips. X looked at him. He hoped that after the war, He can be happy.  _

 

_ That they both can. Veronica whimpered in her sleep. She laid in another room, with a oxygen mask on as Axl cleaned what was left of her wounds. X ran over to her and ran up to her in time to see her open her eyes. _

 

_ “Is Z-” She asked as X sighed.  _

 

_ “He’s gonna take a while to fully adjust to his body.”  _

 

_ Reaper nodded numbly, tears building in her eyes,  _

 

Zero was screaming at Omega. His most prized scythe swinging around with practised ease. Omega looked scared for once in his short span in that body. 

 

Zero felt absolute euphoria. He was stepping in sync with Veronica. Her will and his melting into one. Every step she wanted, he took he took. Zero grinned like he was a maverick, but not quite as crazed. His moves were that of  a veteran of two many wars. He was in complete control.

 

He impaled Omega. Zero stared in disbelief at his original body reacted in pain. He hesitated and Reaper reigned in her anger so it was nothing more than a small thought in Zero’s mind. 

 

Omega collected himself very quickly. His blood red eyes stared into Zero’s dark blue. Finally Omega grabbed Zero’s wrist and crushed it, causing him to scream out in pain, distracting him. Omega grinned. 

 

“Where’s that little bitch of yours?” He grinned into Zero’s face. Zero froze. He felt cold anger build in his stomach. 

 

Enraged, Zero used his hand still holding the scythe and pushed it in. He was not a violent angry right now, he was that slow angry. It was the kind of anger that would cause good men to rip others apart. 

 

“She is more meaningful than you’ll ever be. All you have is a borrowed body and a damaged mind.” The anger overflowed. “She is worth more than a thousand of you. All you can hope to do is pray to be a fraction of what you are!”

 

Omega gritted his teeth. “How can you say that when she ran off with your best friend?” He was genuinely confused. Zero glared at him in annoyance. That thing only saw physical power and violence as a way to get what he wants. He was a savage monster, one with no regard for life. Zero didn't dignify his question with a response. 

 

“This weak copy of a body pales in comparison with mine. It’s completely worthless.” 

 

His mind is frying his old body. Pretty soon his brain will stop funrioning.  Veronica whispered in Zero’s mind. He nodded and the formed a plan to completely destroy him, at the cost of his  body. 

 

Zero charged. This time not directly attacking him. This time he was twirling around Omega, dodging all of Omega’s attacks. Zero liked this style. He could see why Veronica liked dodging the way she did when she was fighting a large number side him physically. Zero pushed that thought away when Omega’s arms locked up. He screamed in pain and ripped the arm off. Red oil spewed everywhere. Zero blinked and sighed not shock. 

 

Two thoughts ran through Zero’s mind. One, that wasn't his to destroy, he should pay for that. Two, he left himself open for an attack. 

 

_ Reaper looked at the glass case holding Zero’s new body. Her green eyes looked on sadly as he was motionless.  _

 

_ “X, I'll miss him.” She whispered to the person behind him. X nodded and sighed. _

 

_ “I envy you, Veronica. When Marty died, she was completely obliterated. I couldn't save her. You had the option to save him and you did above your own health. Z is lucky to have you.” X said.  _

 

_ Veronica smiled, despite the pain of a bruised face. X pulled her into a hug and made a mental promise to himself that he would protect her, keep her alive until her and Zero reunited.  _

 

Zero went towards the side with no arm. Omega tried to block the attack, but he was too out of balance to really completely defend himself. He went to lunge, but as soon as Omega went to step forward, he collapsed. Smoke seeped out of his mouth.

 

“What’s happening?” Omega asked. He was terrified. 

 

“ Your body was built for your AI, much like this one. He is burning out the body.”  Veronica whispered in his mind. Zero stared on in horror. Sorrow filled his mind from Veronica. Zero turned it into anger and walked up to Omega scythe in hand. 

 

Oil arched into the air. Omega screamed. Then he fell. An anticlimactic end for a disappointing enemy. Zero walked away from the body and thought about what Veronica had said. If this body was made for only him, then she was going to die. 

 

“X, Ciel, we need to discuss something.” 

 

It took days, long days for Zero’s plan to work. Veronica grew silent in his mind but she was there. He had checked. 

 

They were in the room where X had gotten his replacement body. Zero was hooked up to a machine that was also connected to a female Reploid body. She had tawny hair, which was very long. And freckles. The body had lots of freckles. 

 

“You promised me a clean slate when this is over, but I want it with you, so I gave you one too.” He gave the robotic body a kiss on the forehead. “Open your eyes for me.” 

  
The Reploids eyes opened, flashing bright neon green before fading to brown. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally. It's done.


End file.
